Guy's,
I got my antlers and jaw bone back tonight and my suspicions may have been confirmed. I saw this buck last year from my stand at the end of October. Back then I guestimated him to be 5 1/2 or 6 1/2 and to score around 180". Before I even recovered him this year I was telling my brother that I thought he was bigger last year. When my brother asked me what I thought he'd score this year, I guessed him at 163. Well, I nailed it right on the head! [:-](See official score card). I noticed that he seemed to be going down hill.
I have the jaw bones from 18 mature bucks that I have shot and aged them. After comparing them to the buck I got last year which I aged at 6 1/2, I believe that this one may be 8 1/2!! I plan on taking it over to my buddy who has taken deer this old and older and comparing with his jaw bones. Once I get them cleaned up a bit, I'll post pics of them (next week).
Another thing to note about this buck is that he had a huge, deepgash almost from eye to eye. If you look hard, you can see the line on his forehead.His right eye was almost swollen shut and infected. If that isn't bad enough, when my Taxi boned out the jaw, he found that it was broken!!!
This buck had lost a lot of weight but I thought it was from rutting. It may have been because his stomach was full of corn when I dressed him out. He still weighed 201 lbs., but his back had that boney ridge runner look to it. I wonder if he would have made it through the winter!!??
What do you think?
Ancient warrior??
